Stoph, Willi

German politician who served two terms (1964-73 and 1976-89) as premier of East Germany, the second of which ended two days before the opening of the Berlin Wall; while on trial in 1992 on manslaughter charges because of his shoot-to-kill orders against those attempting to escape from the country, he was released because of ill health (b. July 9, 1914, Berlin, Ger.-d. April 13, 1999, Berlin)